David Cameron: Vote No in independence referendum and I’ll give Scotland more powers

DAVID Cameron insisted yesterday that Scotland will get more powers if voters reject Alex Salmond’s plans to break up Britain.

David Cameron speaks at the Scottish Conservative party conference, Edinburgh [PA]

The Prime Minister told the Scottish Tories’ spring conference in Edinburgh yesterday that “a vote for No is not a vote for No Change”.

Mr Cameron’s comments came as the three main Westminster parties consider proposals to strengthen devolution before Scots go to the polls on September 18.

The Prime Minister gave a 20-minute speech to 1,100 delegates which focused on why Scotland belongs in the Union.

He warned that a Yes vote would change the country “for ever” but he also gave his strongest backing yet for further powers to be given to Holyrood in the event of a No vote.

So here’s the re-cap: vote Yes – that is total separation. Vote No – that can mean further devolution

David Cameron

He said: “Let me be absolutely clear. We are committed to making devolution better still. Not to give Alex Salmond a consolation prize if Scotland votes No, but because it’s the right thing to do.”

He said he shared Scottish party leader Ruth Davidson’s support for more income tax raising powers for the Scottish Parliament and added: “So here’s the re-cap: vote Yes – that is total separation. Vote No – that can mean further devolution.”

He repeated the warning that the UK Government would not agree to a formal currency union to allow an independent Scotland to keep sterling.

“There are a few myths doing the rounds,” he said. There’s the myth that any talk about the consequences of separation is all bluff and bluster, or even bullying. Warnings on the currency. Warnings on the EU.

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“The Nationalists say this is a big political conspiracy from south of the Border, just ignore it. But that is wrong and, frankly, irresponsible.”

He insisted that what made the UK unique was that it was a family of nations who had a shared history such as the First World War, when “we stood together. Not just then but to abolish slavery, to defeat Fascism, to fight Communism, to build our NHS, to help the world’s sick and poor.

“The United Kingdom has a great and glorious history and as Conservatives we’ll never be ashamed to say so.”

But he also insisted the biggest part of the argument for staying together was the future, in a world of “relentless competition” which is seeing the economic rise of China, India, Brazil and Russia.

He cited the whole of Britain getting behind Scot Eve Muirhead, captain of the Team GB curling squad at the Sochi Winter Olympics, and said: “Together we’ve come through the Great Recession as the fastest growing economy in Europe and together there are huge prizes to be taken in the future.”

Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins said: “Mr Cameron saying only that a No vote ‘can’ lead to greater powers for Holyrood is a huge blow to the No campaign credibility.

“For many months now the Tories, like their Labour partners in the anti-independence coalition, have been bandying around vague promises of more powers if only the people of Scotland vote No. We now know this is a sham.”